Personal video recorders (PVRs) as discussed herein include digital video recorders and may be used in conjunction with virtually every television broadcast system (e.g., cable, digital cable, satellite, antenna, or combinations thereof). Personal video recorders may be programmed to automatically find and record a user's favorite television program or programs so that the user may watch what he or she wants, when he or she wants. Typically, personal video recorders contain a substantial amount of memory and are capable of recording more than thirty hours of programming. The recorded programming may then be retrieved and viewed by the user as desired.
Current personal video recorder technology allows users to time shift the content of the program being recorded (typically television broadcasts). In other words, a user may record a television broadcast and watch it several hours, or even days, later. Alternatively, a user may decide to record a program and begin watching it a predetermined amount of time after the start of the program so that the user has the ability to skip any commercials that may be dispersed throughout the program. Thus, the user would be watching the program during virtually the same time period as people who are watching the live broadcast. However, given the capability to skip through the commercials, the user of the personal video recorder will watch the same program as someone else in less time.
Notwithstanding the above benefits of personal video recorders, there are disadvantages associated with their use. For example, many people enjoy watching various programs simultaneously (e.g., sporting events, talk shows or dramas) even though the people may be physically located in different locations. These people will often communicate with each other during the program by other communication means such as the telephone or Internet. Therefore, they are able to discuss the program as the events materialize. However, as people time shift content they lose the ability to simultaneously watch shows “together” while at their respective locations. Inevitably, the two users will be watching the same program out of synchronization and therefore one user will know the results of a dramatic scene or a sporting event, for example, prior to the other user.
Thus a need exists for techniques which will allow two or more people with personal video recorders to synchronize their time-shifted viewing.